Automatic train-control apparatus



Amm 15 w24, `1,490,623

R. L. MII- LER ET AL AUTOMATIC TRAIN CONTROL APPARATUS Filed June 27 1.922

/5 Z g5 530 Arma/ffm Patented Apr. 15, 1924.

UNITED PATENT .OFFEQ.

ROBERT L.. MILLER, OF SPOKANE, WASHINGTON, AND GEO'RGE C. SCHWEITZER, OF NE/V YORK, N. Y.; SAID MILLER ASSIGNOR TO OTIS AUTOMATIC TRAIN' CONTROL, INC., 0F SPOKANE, .TASHINGTON, A CORPORATION OF WASHINGTON.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN-CONTROL APPARATUS.

Application led June 27, 1922.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, ROBERT L. MiLLuR and GEORGE C. Scriwnrrznn, citizens of the United States, and residents of Spokane, in the county of Spokane, and State of Washington, and New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, respectively` have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Train Control Apparatus, of which the Jfollowing is a speciication.

Our invention relates to improvements in automatic train control apparatus, and it is our purpose to provide automatically operating means to maintain the speed of a train at or below a. predetermined rate, our improvements consisting more particularly in the provision of a governor4 controlled valve associated with the train line and operable automatically to vent the latter to cause an application of the brakes whenever the speed of the train becomes excessive.

In accordance with the foregoing it is our further purpose to provide a speed control valve which is effective when the train line is vented thereby to simultaneously cut oii' the supply of air from the ordinary engineers control valve to the train line whereby the engineer is unable to release his brakes until the speed of his train has been reduced to or below a predetermined rate.

With the foregoing and other purposes in view, our invention consists in the novel features of construction, combination and `arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and particularly defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings wherein like characters of reference denote corresponding parts in the diiierent views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation showing the manner of mounting our improvements upon a locomotive;

Figure 2, a top plan view showing a preferred general arrangement of our improved speed control valve with other elements of an automatic train control mechanism; and

Figure 3, a vertical section through our improved speed control valve.

By reference to the' drawings it will bev noted that we have illustrated a 'complete train carried automatic train control a paratus including ramp engageable shoe e- Serial No. 571,146.

vices 1 and 2 and an automatic control valve 3 relatively arranged and adapted to operate in accordance with the disclosure in an application by Robert L. Miller, Serial Number 570,960. It is to be understood, however, that our present invention resides solely in the speed control valve A and that the same is not limited to use with the apparatus shown, but may be used with or without automatic train control mechanisms of various other types, wherefore the present description will be directed primarily to the valve A per se.

In the present embodiment of our invention, a supply pipe i leads to the ordinary enginee1"s control valvey 5 andthe latter is connected with the control valve 3 by a pipe 6. Our improved speed control valvel A is located in this pipe 6, between the valve 3 and. a by-pass pipe 7 which connects the pipe 6 with the train line pipe 8, said bypass pipe being located between the engineers valve 5 and the speed control valve A and having a check valve 9 interposed there in which opens in the direction of the engineers valve whereby the engineer may vent the train line to set his brakes whenever desired, irrespective of the status of valves A 1. 2 and 3.

As best shown in Fimire 3, valve A consists of a casing` 15 having a central vertical bore including upper. intermediate and lower portions 16. 17 and 18, respectively, which are oi progressively less diameter in the order named. shoulders 19 and 20 thus being formed between the upper and intermediate portions 16 and 17 and between the intermediate and lower portions 17 and 18, respectively, which constitute valve seats, thepurpose of which will presently appear.

Opening through one side of the casing 15 and into the intermediate portion 17 of the bore therein, below the valve seat 19 and above the valve seat 20, is a passage 21 which receivesV a portion of the pipe 6, while opening through the opposite side of the casinaA and into the lower portion 18 of the bore therein.l below the valve seat 20, is a passage 22 which receives the other por tion of the pipe 6.

Slidably mounted within the bore of the casing 15 is a valve 23 including upper and lower portions 24 and 25 which, respectively, are snugly received by the upper andintermediate portions of said bore. rlhe portion 24 is larger in diameter than the portion 25 whereby a shoulder is `ormed for cooperation with the valve seat 19, and the lower end of the portion 25 is suitably shaped for cooperation with the valve seat 20, while extending from the said lower end of the portion 25 is a rod or stem 26 which carries at its lower end a valve 27 adapted for cooperation wit-h a valve seat 28 formed at the lower end or the portion 18 of the bore.

In the normal relation of the parts set forth in the foregoing, the valve 23 is disposed at uppermost limit of sliding movement within the bore of the casing, so that communication may be established between the supply and train line pipes through the engineers valve 5 and pipe 6 by'way of the intermediate portion 17 and the lower portion 18 of the bore oiz the casing, while valve 27, which is closed against its seat 28 when the valve 23 is disposed uppermost, prevents any escape oi' pressure from the train line to the atmosphere. When the valve 23 is moved downward, however, the lower end of its portion 25 seats on the shoulder or valve seat 20, thus cutting ofi communication between the engineers valve and train line, except through the one way pipe 7, while valve 27 is opened permitting the escape of pressure from the train line through valve 3 and one or the other of valves 1 and 2 as the case may be, which results in an application of the brakes in a well known manner.

F or operating the valve 23, we have mounted upon the casing 15 a governor 29 including a stem 30 which is connected to said valve. The governor may be of any preferred design, so that it will normally hold the valve 23 raised, and it is so connected with a part of the vehicle upon which it is mounted, for instance by means of a be t 31 with a pulley on one oit' the vehicle axles, that when the ratero movement of such part becomes what may predetermined be deemed excessive, it will move said valve downward and thereby eli'ect the result mentioned. As soon, however, as the speed of the vehicle has been reduced to a predetermined rate the governor acts to raise the valve to its normal position thereby reestablishing communication between the supply and the train line and allowing the brakes to be released, whereby the train may again proceedL at a reduced rate of speed.

From the foregoing description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, it is believed that the construction, opera'tion and advantages of our improvements will be clearly understood and while we have herein illustrated and described one specific embodiment of our invention, it is apparent that the same is susceptible to modifications and. changes :tacones within its scope as defined in the appended CILID'IS.

We claim 1. Automatic train control apparatus including a train line pipe connected with a source of fluid pressure and having an enginecrs valve connected therewith, a bypass pipe between the train line and the engineers valve, and a control valve adapted to be associated with said train line pipe operable automatically by the speed of the train exceeding a predetermined rate to vent said train line pipe and simultaneously cut off communication between the latter and the cngineers valve except through said by pass pipe.

2. In automatic train control apparatus including a train line pipe having a source of fluid pressure supply, a valve adapted to be associated with said pipe for automatically venting and cutting the same oli 'from its source of :fluid pressure supply when the speed of the train exceeds a predetermined rate, said valve including a casing having a bore therein opening at one end through one side thereof, the train line being in communication with said bore, and a member slidable in said bore and operable when atthe limit of its sliding movement in one direction to close the open end of said bore and permit communication between the trainv line and its supply, and operable when at the limit of its sliding movement in the other direction to cut on" communication between the train line and its supply, and simultaneously open the lower end of said bore whereby the trainv line is vented, and means for operating said member.

3. In automatic train control apparatus, the combination with the train pipe and the pressure supply pipe of an air brake system; of a speed control valve arranged between said pipes and operable automatically by the speed of the train exceeding a predetermined rate to vent thel train pipe and cut 0E the supply thereto, and a by-pass pipe connecting the train pipe with the pressure supply pipe, said by-pass pipe having a check valve therein opening in the direction of the supply pipe whereby air may be drawn at all times from the train pipe and whereby air may be supplied to the train pipe Vonly through said speed control valve.

4. In automatic train control apparatus, speed control means including a valve casing provided with ports and having a bore therein opening axially at one end through one side of the casing, a valve in said casing normally permitting communication through said bore between said ports andnormally closing the open end of said bore, the train pipe of the usual air brake system of the train being connected through an aforementioned port with said bore, and means operated by the speed or the train exceeding a,

predetermined rate to move said valve to close said bore against communication between said ports and to open the normally closed end of said bore.

5. In automatic train control apparatus, speed control ineans including a valve casing adapted to be connected with the trainA pipe of the trainair brake system and having a bore therein opening axially at one end through one side of the easing, said bore being stepped to provide portions of diferent diameters thereby to provide a shoulder constituting a valve seat between adjacent stepped portions, a pair of ports entering said bore to opposite sides of said Valve seat, respectively, a valve in said casing for co- SER operation with said seat to permit and deny communication between said ports, and an extension on said valve'earrying a valve ele- Inent for cooperation with the open end of said bore, said extension being of such length that when communication is permitted through said bore between said ports, said valve element is in Closing relation to the open end of said bore, and when oom- Inunieation is denied through said bore between said ports, said valve element is open with respect to the open end of said bore.

In testimony whereof we hereunto aix our signatures.

RGBERT L. MILLER.

GERGE C. SCH'WEITZER. 

